David Filner assumed the administrative leadership of the San Antonio Symphony in November, 2012. Led by Music Director Sebastian Lang-Lessing, the San Antonio Symphony is celebrating its 73rd year this season.

Note: This is an mySA.com City Brights Blog. These blogs are not written or edited by mySA or the San Antonio Express-News. The authors are solely responsible for the content.

How do you spell Czajkowski?

Now that the main concerts of the Symphony’s Tchaikovsky Festival are over, it is now time to answer that BURNING question, “What is the correct spelling of Tchaikovsky?”

I was actually asked this several times this weekend. One of the problems is that Tchaikovsky is Russian and there is really no official way to translate from Cyrillic to Latin (or Roman) characters. The other problem is that music used in America is often published in countries that do not speak English. When those editions come to America, we get confused. Also, the composer was a prolific traveler and letter-writer. He spelled his own name differently, depending on the language he was writing in!

Do you know why music uses mostly Italian terms like “allegro” and “forte?” The answer is simple. The very first music publishers were in Italy. Their music was used throughout Europe, and therefore terms like “fast” and “loud” came to be used mostly in Italian.

Here are the most common spellings of Tchaikovsky that you’ll find in music publications:

Here are a few more opportunities to hear Tchaikovsky, whatever the spelling…
When: Tuesday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Municipal Auditorium
Price: Free, donations will be accepted for Japan disaster relief

The Symphony will perform a free concert on Tuesday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Auditorium. The performance will be the last public concert in the Municipal Auditorium before it is closed for conversion into the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, which opens in April 2014. The performance is free, and the public will be asked for donations, which will all go to the American Red Cross Japan relief fund.

Sebastian Lang-Lessing and Ken-David Masur will conduct and Sayaka Okada, violin and Allyson Dawkins, viola will be the soloists. The repertoire will include:

The Jewish Community Center and the San Antonio Symphony will present an art show/art auction and free concert on May 11. The doors opens at 6 p.m. and the Symphony will perform at 7 p.m. The art show will feature local artists Kori Ashton and Glen Andrews. A portion of the evening’s art sales will benefit the Barshop JCC’s Arts and Culture programming. For more information about contact the Arts & Culture office at (210) 302-6827.

Ken-David Masur will conduct a string ensemble of San Antonio Symphony musicians and the repertoire will be:BrittenSimple SymphonyTchaikovsky Serenade in C major, Op. 48
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The Symphony and the Community Fine Arts Network (www.thecfan.org) present a concert in Steele High School. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at www.thecfan.org. Ken-David Masur will conduct:Tchaikovsky Polonaise from Eugene OneginTchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64
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The Symphony offers free neighborhood concerts, as part of the AT&T Music Scholars program on May 24 and 31 at Lanier High School and Brackenridge High School. These concert include musicians from both schools. Ken-David Masur will conduct the Symphony and the repertoire will include:Tchaikovsky Movement IV. from Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36Bizet “Danse bohème” from Carmen Suite No. 2Arlen/HarburgOver the RainbowCopland “Saturday Night Waltz” from RodeoRossini Overture to William Tell